Governor Brown Announces Appointments

Published:

SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments:

Diane Wittenberg, 72, of Pasadena, has been reappointed to the California State Park and Recreation Commission, where she has served since 2014. Wittenberg was executive director at the California Plug-in Electric Vehicle Collaborative from 2010 to 2012. She was executive director at the Climate Registry from 2007 to 2010 and president at the California Climate Action Registry from 2001 to 2006. Wittenberg held several positions at Edison International from 1985 to 2000, including vice president of corporate communications, president of Edison EV, president of the Edison Utility Alliances and vice president of corporate communications at Southern California Edison. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Wittenberg is a Democrat.

Elva Yanez, 64, of Los Angeles, has been reappointed to the California State Park and Recreation Commission, where she has served since 2011. Yanez has been director of health equity at the Prevention Institute since 2015. She was president at Colibri Strategies 2009 to 2014, project director at the California Community Foundation from 2008 to 2009 and director of the Audubon Center at Debs Park from 2006 to 2008. She held several positions at the Trust for Public Land from 2004 to 2006, including director of local government relations and director of the Center for Parks and Health. She held several positions at the Praxis Project from 2002 to 2004, including policy director and deputy director. Yanez earned a Master of Library Science degree from the University of Southern California. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Yanez is a Democrat.

Frank Damrell, 79, of Carmichael, has been reappointed to the Delta Stewardship Council, where he has served since 2013. He has been a mediator and arbitrator at Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services since 2015. He was a principal at Cotchett, Pitre and McCarthy LLP from 2011 to 2015. Damrell served as a judge at the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California from 1997 to 2011 and was an attorney in private practice from 1968 to 1997. He served as a deputy district attorney at the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office from 1966 to 1968 and as a deputy attorney general at the California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General from 1965 to 1966. Damrell earned a Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $46,913. Damrell is a Democrat.

Susan Tatayon, 58, of Rocklin, has been reappointed to the Delta Stewardship Council, where she has served since 2014. Tatayon has held several positions at the Nature Conservancy since 2006, including water program director and associate director for the California water program. She was supervising resource planner at Schlumberger Water Services from 2001 to 2005 and special assistant to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Mid-Pacific regional director from 2000 to 2001. Tatayon served in several positions at the California Department of Water Resources from 1996 to 2000, including research program specialist and special assistant to the chief deputy director. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $46,913. Tatayon is registered without party preference.

Steve Baldwin, 49, of Long Beach, has been appointed to the 48th District Agricultural Association, Schools’ Agriculture and Nutrition Program. Baldwin has been a program director for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health since 2012. He was a program director at Public Health Enterprises from 2010 to 2012, nutrition education project director at the Hawthorne School District from 2004 to 2010 and food services administrator at Lawndale Elementary School District from 2001 to 2002. He is a member of the Academy of Nutrition Dietetics, California Dietetic Association and the California Conference of Local Health Department Nutritionists. Baldwin earned a Master of Science degree in family environmental science-nutrition from California State University, Northridge. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Baldwin is a Democrat.

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